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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/27979314">Redemption and Realizations</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlightlessAngelWings/pseuds/FlightlessAngelWings'>FlightlessAngelWings</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Equal Partners [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Star Wars - All Media Types, The Mandalorian (TV)</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Angst with a Happy Ending, Canon Compliant, Canon-Typical Violence, F/M, Hurt/Comfort, Love Confessions</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-12-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-12-09</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-10 16:42:17</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Teen And Up Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Graphic Depictions Of Violence</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>2,722</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/27979314</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/FlightlessAngelWings/pseuds/FlightlessAngelWings</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>This was not good. The Mandlorian’s plan to try to trick the client backfired and ended up with you, him, Cara Dune and Greef Karga trapped in the cantina surrounded by the imperial Moff Gideon and several hundred stormtroopers. Kuiil wasn’t responding on the comms, you had no idea if the child was safe or not, and you watched in horror as the troopers set up a large E-web cannon. In a panic, Cara attempted to blast open the sewer gate as a way to escape, but that failed. </p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Din Djarin/Reader, Din Djarin/You</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Equal Partners [5]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1820476</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>68</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Redemption and Realizations</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
      <p>Takes place season 1, episode 8</p>
    </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>This was not good. The Mandlorian’s plan to try to trick the client backfired and ended up with you, him, Cara Dune and Greef Karga trapped in the cantina surrounded by the imperial Moff Gideon and several hundred stormtroopers. Kuiil wasn’t responding on the comms, you had no idea if the child was safe or not, and you watched in horror as the troopers set up a large E-web cannon. In a panic, Cara attempted to blast open the sewer gate as a way to escape, but that failed. </p>
<p>Moff Gideon taunted you all as he commented on Cara’s panic and reminded you all of her past, “Or perhaps  the decommissioned Mandalorian hunter, Din Djarin, has heard the songs of the Siege of Mandalore. Perhaps he even shared the stories with his partner, the escaped slave,” he said your name, your full name, which you never even told Mando before, “I wonder what the price for her would be now?” he added coldly before he addressed Greef with a negotiation. </p>
<p>Mando turned to you and immediately held your arm with a strong and comforting grip, but you barely even processed his touch.</p>
<p>Everything just sounded like a buzz to you after Gideon revealed your past that no one other than Mando knew. He kept the promise he made when you first joined him to keep your history a secret. Your hands shook as you just stared down at the floor as the other three weighed the options. It was only when Mando told the story of how he was found as a child by the Mandalorians that you brought yourself back to the present as you listened to his story.</p>
<p>After he tried again and failed to get in contact with Kuiil, Mando turned to you and gave your arm another comforting squeeze. During everything, his hand never left your arm. You were about to say something when IG-11 responded on the comms.</p>
<p>“Kuill has been terminated,” the droid said flatly. </p>
<p>“What did you do?” the frustration in Mando’s voice was palpable and you could feel his grip on your arm tighten. </p>
<p>“My base function. To nurse and protect,” at that, IG came barreling down the street and fired on the group of stormtroopers, and Mando could see the child was safely tucked in the carrying sack.</p>
<p>The Mandalorian turned to you, and you knew without a single word what he was thinking. “If it’s a choice between death and capture,” you responded as you gripped your weapon, “I choose death.”</p>
<p>He wanted to say that he wouldn’t let either of those happen, but he had to move quickly so instead he pulled out his blaster and gave you a nod, “Cover me.”</p>
<p>“I got your back, Mando,” you assured him as you followed his lead out into the open space and joined the droid in the attack on the imperials.</p>
<p>Everything happened so fast after that. You and Greef stayed by the door while Cara and the Mandalorian went right into the middle of the battle, all of you were focused on taking out as many troopers as possible. In the midst of everything, Moff Gideon seemed to appear out of nowhere and fired at Mando, who had taken over the E-web, and knocked him down.</p>
<p>“Mando!” you froze and screamed his name in shock, but before you could move, you suddenly felt a searing pain in your leg. When you looked down, you realized you had been shot and you leaned back against the wall of the building. Another blaster shot rang close to you and knocked your own blaster out of your hand. </p>
<p>Greef noticed right away and he didn’t hesitate to take you inside for cover, despite your protests. He set you down on the floor in the half destroyed cantina as Cara dragged the half conscious Mandalorian and laid him next to you.</p>
<p>An explosion rocked the building, and you didn’t hesitate to throw yourself over him. You could feel his weak grip on your arm as you hovered over his body protectively. The two of you spoke while IG-11 worked on breaking through the sewer gate.</p>
<p>Mando started with your name, “You need to go,” you could hear the exhaustion in his voice, “Take care of the kid. Leave me. Let me die a warrior’s death,” he took your hand in his and when you looked down you saw that your hands were covered in blood. His blood.</p>
<p>You shook your head as you fought back tears, “I’m not leaving you, Mando. Besides,” you scoffed sadly, “I’ll only slow them down.”</p>
<p>In his state, Mando had no idea what you meant by that, but he was determined to protect you and make sure you and the child got out of there safely. He took a shaky breath and placed something in your hand, “Give them this when you reach the covert. Tell them you’re Din Djarin’s partner, and the foundling is under our protection. They’ll look after you both,” he paused. Three more words were on the tip of his tongue, and Mando was sure this was the end for him so it was now or never, “I love you.”</p>
<p>At that point, you couldn’t stop the tears. </p>
<p>Behind you stood Cara and Greef, who both watched your interaction, and you looked over your shoulder at them. Another explosion ripped through the space, and while the child stood up to use his powers to push the flames back, you handed the necklace that Mando gave you to Cara and made them promise to protect the child.</p>
<p>“Go,” you told them firmly as you turned back to Mando and tugged at your sleeve until you ripped off a large piece of fabric, exposing more skin than you had in a long time. You faintly heard the others shuffle off as you tied the fabric around your eyes. When he tried to protest, you only repeated, “I’m not leaving you.”</p>
<p>“I will stay and help you,” IG’s voice came from beside you and reached for Mando’s helmet once your eyes were covered.</p>
<p>“No,” he protested weakly as he pointed his blaster, “No living thing has seen me without my helmet since I joined the creed.”</p>
<p>“I am not a living thing,” the droid quipped back right away.</p>
<p>“And I can’t see,” you added, “IG, just do it,” you pleaded. You were silent for a moment before you added, “I can’t lose you,” your voice shook with fear as you addressed your Mandalorian once more.</p>
<p>You bit your lip as you waited for someone to say something. Without your sight, you placed your trust in the droid and the bounty hunter, but you weren’t about to leave now. </p>
<p>IG spoke as he applied a bacta spray, “You appear to have severe damage to your central processing unit. This will help heal you.”</p>
<p>Mando raised his eyebrows, and you mirrored his look without even seeing it, “You mean my brain?” he questioned.</p>
<p>“It was a joke,” the droid said, “Let it sit for a moment while I tend to your partner.”</p>
<p>You stiffened and Mando’s gaze dropped down to your leg. Your wound wasn’t as bad as his, but it was still a nasty one, and it bled fairly heavily. He whispered your name as IG cleaned and bandaged your leg. Normally, it would sting, but you were so focused on your partner that you barely even noticed.</p>
<p>“Mando…”</p>
<p>“Din,” he corrected you as he brought a hand up to cup your face, “When it’s us, you can use my name.”</p>
<p>You smiled softly through the tears that formed in your eyes again, though they were absorbed by the cloth over your eyes, “Din…” it felt strange to say his name, yet it felt right, “Did you mean what you said?”</p>
<p>Din wasn’t sure if you heard his confession, but he didn’t regret it, “Yes,” his voice was steady as he said your name again, “I love you. I’ve loved you for a long time,” he gently pulled your face close to his so that your lips hovered over his.</p>
<p>A chill ran up your spine as you felt his breath on your skin for the very first time, “I love you too,” you said before you closed the small gap and took his lips with yours. He brushed his thumb across your cheek as both of you relished the feeling of the kiss, and all the emotions and unspoken feelings it held.</p>
<p>“I hate to interrupt,” IG’s voice made you jump, and you realized that you didn’t even feel it when he tended to your wound, “But we need to go.”</p>
<p>When you felt a tug at your makeshift blindfold, Mando had his helmet on again and he helped you to stand. With both of you wounded, IG put himself between the two of you to help you walk as you made your way to meet up with the others. When you all got there, Cara rushed over to help Din while Greef slung your arm over his shoulders to help you.</p>
<p>It was a bleak scene that greeted you all in the tunnels: it was dim and empty and fallen Mandalorian armor lay all over the ground. Mando dropped down to his knees and your heart dropped down with him as you covered your mouth to stifle your gasp. </p>
<p>The Armorer then appeared from the shadows with several pieces of armor in her arms and explained what happened. Din and her spoke while the rest of you all followed in stunned silence. When you reached her workstation, Greef helped you sit down on a nearby stool and the child fussed until he was placed in your lap.</p>
<p>“So this is the one whose safety deemed such destruction,” the Armorer stated plainly. She glanced at you for a moment and gave you a single nod of recognition before she addressed Din once more. You made a guess that Din told her about you and she knew who you were based on how she treated you. She recalled the stories of the Jedi-Mandalorian wars and tasked you both with the mission of reuniting the child with his people, “A founding is in your care,” she spoke mostly to Din but she made sure that you knew that you were included in her statement as well, “Until it is on age or reunited with its own kind, you are as its parents.”</p>
<p>She then went to work at the forge before she held something out, “You have earned your signet,” the Armorer placed the mudhorn on Din’s shoulder pauldron before she stepped away and grabbed something from the table and slid it discreetly into his hand. You saw it happen, but you couldn’t hear what she whispered to him. Although you guessed it had something to do with you since Din looked over his shoulder at you once they finished speaking.</p>
<p>The Armorer then addressed you, “And these are for you,” she handed you a staff with a vibroblade on the end and a blaster, since your weapons were damaged in the fight, “As part of the Djarin clan, it is also your duty to protect the foundling.”</p>
<p>“I understand,” you said with a nod, “Thank you,” your voice was soft. You looked over your new weapons, which were a great improvement of the ones you previously had, while the Armorer gave Din one last gift.</p>
<p>“You are a clan of three,” the Armorer addressed you all. The child cooed in your lap from where you sat and Din placed a hand on your shoulder, “Now you need to go. Follow the tunnel out.”</p>
<p>Din helped you up and you handed the child over to IG as you all made your way out of the tunnels. Just as you thought you were in the clear, you all faced one more great loss: IG-11. Cara and Greef couldn’t hear the emotions behind Din’s words of protest when IG offered to sacrifice himself, but you did. You squeezed Din’s arm gently the way he did to you earlier as you all watched the droid wade through the lava. But, he didn’t have time to sit with his grief yet because as soon as you all were outside, Moff Gideon flew by, and Din immediately used his new jetpack and jumped into action and took him down.</p>
<p>Once the battle was won and Greef and Cara made the decision to stay and rebuild the guid, Din took you and the child into his arms and flew his family back to the Crest. Sorrow immediately hit you both like a punch in the gut when you were greeted by Kuiil’s lifeless body just a few feet from the ship. Din slowly let you go to make sure you were ok to stand on your own before he handed the child over to you and dropped down to his knees. Neither of you spoke; no words were needed.</p>
<p>You held the child in your arms as you stood next to Din while he finished a burial mound for Kuiil. Once it was complete, the two of you stood together in silence to take a moment for your fallen friend. Without even any words, you could feel the heaviness that weighed on the Mandalorian’s mind. You rested your head on his shoulder in an attempt to bring him some comfort and gave the child a soft squeeze.</p>
<p>“It was his choice to come, Din,” you spoke softly, “Just like it was IG’s choice to make that sacrifice for us.”</p>
<p>“I know,” he didn’t turn to you, and his words didn’t convince you that he was ok.</p>
<p>You let out a deep sigh as you added, “He died free,” your words were heavy in the air, “And any of us would do the same for this kid.” And for you.</p>
<p>Din knew that. He also knew that included yourself in your statement, and he understood the full weight of what you said, “I won’t let it come to that,” he turned to face you, “It’s my duty now to protect you and the child.”</p>
<p>“I can handle myself, you know that,” you replied with a smile that seemed to put him a little more at ease, “And we’ll both protect the child until we find his home…” you took a breath as if you wanted to say more, but you let it go.</p>
<p>“What about you?” he asked as if he could sense what the thought you dropped was.</p>
<p>You looked at Din with such affection, “My home is with you. Wherever that is.” It felt nice to finally voice your feelings for him out loud.</p>
<p>He reached out for you to cup your face like he always did and closed the gap between your bodies to rest the forehead of his helmet against your own, “And mine is with you, my love.”</p>
<p>You smiled into his touch, but you were interrupted when the child cooed from your arms to get your attention. Din reached out for the child with his free hand and stroked his ear, and you watched the interaction with a big smile on your face. With his gaze downward, he noticed the necklace around your neck.</p>
<p>“I didn’t think I’d see this again,” Din let go of his hold on your face to fiddle with the necklace.</p>
<p>“Oh,” you sounded surprised. You had actually forgotten that your friends gave it back to you and you just put it on to keep it safe, “Here,” you handed Din the child so you could take it off and hand it back to him.</p>
<p>“It’s alright,” he stopped you from giving it to him. Truthfully, he liked how it looked on you.</p>
<p>You paused for a moment before you decided to put it around the child’s neck instead, “How about you hang on to it for awhile?”</p>
<p>Din couldn’t remember the last time he felt a warmth like this, and he knew it was all because of you and the child. His clan. His family. “How about we get out of here?”</p>
<p>You looked into the vizor of his helmet and nodded. It wasn’t an easy journey the three of you had ahead of you, but as long as you had each other, you could handle anything.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Follow my writing tumblr @FlightlessAngelWings for more!</p></blockquote></div></div>
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